1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a collapsible keyboard, more particularly to a collapsible keyboard with left and right subframes which are foldable together in a face to face relationship without altering an arrangement of left and right sets of keys respectively disposed on the subframes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional collapsible keyboard for a portable computer device, such as a personal digital assistant or PDA, is shown to include left and right subframes 91, 92 which are pivotally mounted together by a hinge 94 that includes two wing members 93 respectively secured to proximate lateral sides of the left and right subframes 91,92. However, no means are provided for locking the left and right subframes 91,92 in the deployed position, thereby resulting in undesired turning and inconvenience during use. Moreover, the flush configuration of the proximate lateral sides of the left and right subframes 91,92 requires a change in the positions of keyboard keys distributed in a standard format familiar to users, thereby resulting in more inconvenience during use.
Referring to FIG. 2, another conventional keyboard 95 has a frame made of a thin flexible plate to facilitate arrangement of the keys in a standard format. However, a rigid support is required for supporting the keyboard 95 in a planar state during use, thereby resulting in inconvenience to the user.
The object of the present invention is to provide a collapsible keyboard which can overcome the aforementioned problems associated with the conventional collapsible keyboards.
According to this invention, the collapsible keyboard comprises a mounting member which includes a backbone portion extending in a transverse direction and having left and right lateral edges opposite to each other in a longitudinal direction, and front and rear ends opposite to each other in the transverse direction. Front and rear mount portions extend respectively and upwardly from the front and rear ends and terminate respectively at front and rear uppermost surfaces. Each of left and right subframes includes a major base wall and front and rear link walls extending respectively and upwardly from front and rear sides of the major base wall and terminating respectively at front and rear upper edge portions. The front and rear link walls respectively include front and rear linking areas which are located adjacent to both the front upper edge portion and a proximate lateral side of the major base wall, and to both the rear upper edge portion and the proximate lateral side, respectively. The front and rear linking areas are pivoted to the front and rear mount portions about a pivot axis in the transverse direction respectively at front and rear pivotal points that are adjacent to the front and rear uppermost surfaces, respectively. Left and right wing members include proximate edge portions which are hinged to the left and right lateral edges of the backbone portion respectively so as to place the left and right wing members in folded or spread positions, where distal edge portions of the left and right wing members are respectively close to or remote from each other. Left and right couplers are disposed to respectively link the front link walls of the left and right subframes at left and right coupled areas outboard to a respective one of the front linking areas, to forward sides of the left and right wing members at left and right engaged areas outboard to the proximate edge portions, respectively. As such, when the left and right wing members are in the folded or spread positions, the left and right subframes are placed in collapsed or deployed positions, where the distal lateral sides of the left and right subframes are respectively close to or remote from each other. Left and right sets of pluralities of keys are respectively disposed on the left and right subframes in an arrangement standing unaltered when the left and right subframes change from the collapsed position to the deployed position.